thought i'd share this, cheap foodgrade pump for sparge ....

[leewink]

Not to sure on the temps required for that job chap.

But remember, fish tank heaters run into hundreds of watts - http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalo ... cables.asp

... and could be worth an email to the supplier to ask what max temp they can maintain, there are also inline types if you search for them.

Visitherms and jagers were always good in my day of fishkeeping

Things that are outside of the "usual" use can sometimes be worth it, like my ikkle pump find

[wetdog]

I've been planning to buy a totton for months but instead I've bought one of these, opting for the 20/20
Amazing how small they are. I nipped out to tesco today to get a variable DC adaptor for around £8, got busy with the wires and it works a treat! well impressed and so quiet.
I'll be using this for recirculating and transferring wort to the boiler. No more lifting 5 gallons of fluid onto the bench.
One of the best bits of kit to come along in a while, good spot, Lee

[leewink]

No problemo

[Andy]

Nice little pump!

Make sure you've got the right spec power adapter, the pump spec mentions 6.6 Watts which at 12V would draw just over 500mA of current (using my very simplistic electrical knowledge). Some of the cheapo 12V adapters are only rated to 300mA - but I know that magnetic resistance (as used in pumps) electrical calcs can be different to the norm. Any electrical whizz's around ?

[leewink]

dont even know what mine is rated, ive got three of them i had when i was into my pc water cooling, used them on some 12v fishtank stuffs aswell, so at worst, I stand with it whilst it pumps wort, so if it gets hot which it doesnt, then i can turn off, im not too fussed tbh, there cheap enough

lee

[Minimasher]

Now, can you to find a very economical RIMS/HERMS heater to complete the setup?!

I have been thinking about this myself. If you can connect the output hose from the pump to a small tightly wound coil of copper which is then immersed in an electric kettle full of water, then the PID (which I was thinking of one from ebay referred to on other threads) controls the on/off of the kettle and the return from the copper coil goes (via the PID) back into the top of the mash tun.... Then youv'e got a HERMS haven't you?

Saves having to worry about the safety of constructing a chamber and wiring up an immersion heater.

It's the same principle as an impressive set up here http://www.philrobins.org.uk/heatexchanger.html but you can just use your kettle from your kitchen!

Haven't tried it yet.... Any thoughts?

[floydmeddler]

Now, can you to find a very economical RIMS/HERMS heater to complete the setup?!

I have been thinking about this myself. If you can connect the output hose from the pump to a small tightly wound coil of copper which is then immersed in an electric kettle full of water, then the PID (which I was thinking of one from ebay referred to on other threads) controls the on/off of the kettle and the return from the copper coil goes (via the PID) back into the top of the mash tun.... Then youv'e got a HERMS haven't you?

Saves having to worry about the safety of constructing a chamber and wiring up an immersion heater.

It's the same principle as an impressive set up here http://www.philrobins.org.uk/heatexchanger.html but you can just use your kettle from your kitchen!

Haven't tried it yet.... Any thoughts?

I like the idea. What size copper coil would you use? Also, wouldn't the flow rate be affected as the coil diameter would presumably need to be quite small meaning not a a lot of wort could pass through at a time?

[floydmeddler]

Sorry, have just looked at Phil's again and see it is 8mm. I really like this idea!

[Aleman]

Getting a small tight coil is a problem in itself . . . you can do it in 6mm . . . and I did just that for my HERMS chamber wrapping it round a 1L PET bottle. . . . and that is when I discovered that the restriction of the coil turns and the diameter of the tube really slowed my flow rate down . . . to just under 1L per minute . . . with a March May 890HS which really is a kick ass pump . . . fine on the femtosystem . . . although even there I could do with a bit faster . . . So I am now back to 10mm in a less tightly wound coil . . . although If anyone wants a 6mm copper coil HERMS Unit I have one for sale . . . only been used twice

[floydmeddler]

Getting a small tight coil is a problem in itself . . . you can do it in 6mm . . . and I did just that for my HERMS chamber wrapping it round a 1L PET bottle. . . . and that is when I discovered that the restriction of the coil turns and the diameter of the tube really slowed my flow rate down . . . to just under 1L per minute . . . with a March May 890HS which really is a kick ass pump . . . fine on the femtosystem . . . although even there I could do with a bit faster . . . So I am now back to 10mm in a less tightly wound coil . . . although If anyone wants a 6mm copper coil HERMS Unit I have one for sale . . . only been used twice

How does the 10mm work for you? Does it maintain the desired wort temp for you?

[Aleman]

I'll let you know . . . but to test it I just used the standard 10m coil and got a lot higher flow through the 10mm . . . I've now got a 5m coil of 10mm so think the flow will be more than adequate. . . . The 6mm coil kept the temperature constant . . . but then in a thermobox that was a given . . . the real factor was the time it took to raise the mash temp for the mash out. . . On the pico plant with the 80L tun it would have taken forever . . . I'll hopefully test the new HERMS Chamber this week

[Minimasher]

I didn't think that the flow rate would be effected. I thought the linear flow would obviously change - i.e. the liquid would flow along the pipe at a different speed, but imagined the volume per minute would remain constant? But...

...and that is when I discovered that the restriction of the coil turns and the diameter of the tube really slowed my flow rate down . . . to just under 1L per minute . . .

...Obviously not...

Aleman, what flow rate do you achieve without the coil? I wonder if the smaller pump we're talking about will cope better with this...? Bear with me... but if the pump is set to pump at the rate the coil can cope with then will the flow rate be largely unaffected? All very theoretical...

Also, it doesn't have to be a coil. It could be a series of S bends or something in 15 or 22mm with elbows. It doesn't matter (or does it?) what the shape of the thing is, you just need to get one liquid in contact with the other to exchange heat???

although If anyone wants a 6mm copper coil HERMS Unit I have one for sale . . . only been used twice

I might be interested if you can let me have some more details...?

[chivelegs]

Some photos of the tiny pump in action here.

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=32498

Ran it at 6V for recirculating and 9V to pump up to boiler. Brilliant find, leewink!

[leewink]

:):)

[sladeywadey]

would this power adapter be suitable for running this pump?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/REGULATED-AC-DC-P ... 1c1209d463

Also, how have you guys fixed your hoses to the pump?

Thanks.